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Mythology
Mythology (from the Ancient Greek: μῦθος, muthos, meaning "story", or "narrative") is the study of traditional stories, tales, legends, and folklore; or a collection of myths, especially belonging to a particular religious or cultural tradition.[https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/mythology Oxford Living Dictionaries, mythology] The word mythología grc|μυθολογία}} appears in Plato, which was used as a general term for "fiction" or "story-telling" of any kind.Oxford English Dictionary, "-logy, comb. form". Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1903.—''mythology'', combining mỹthos grc|μῦθος}}, "narrative, fiction" and ''-logía'' grc|-λογία}}, "discourse, able to speak about". In , mythology was the subject of Latin author Fulgentius in his work: Mythologiæ, which concerns the explication of Greek and Roman stories about their gods. In modern society, Scholars in the field of cultural studies research how "myth" has worked itself into modern discourses, where mythology is applied to certain genres or "universes" in the entertainment industry of television, cinema and video games. Academia In academia, the term "myth" often refers to stories whose culture regards them as true (as opposed to fictitious).Eliade, Myth and Reality, p. 1, 8-10; The Sacred and the Profane, p. 95 Thus, many scholars will call a body of stories "mythology", leaving open the question of whether the stories are true or false. For example, in Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism, English professor Howard Schwartz writes, "the definition of 'mythology' offered here does not attempt to determine if biblical or subsequent narratives are true or false, i.e., historically accurate or not".Schwartz, p. lxxviii Religion Most religions contain a body of traditional sacred stories that are believed to express profound truth. Some religious organizations and practitioners believe that some or all of their traditional stories are not only sacred and "true" but also historically accurate and divinely revealed and that calling such stories "myths" disrespects its holy status.Hardon, John A. "The Resurrection of Jesus". Real Presence Eucharistic Education and Adoration Association. 30 December 2007Henry, Carl Ferdinand Howard. God Who Speaks and Shows: Preliminary Considerations. Other religious organizations and practitioners have no problem with categorizing their sacred stories as myths.Menion, Michael. [http://www.firstworld.ca/tolkien/elvesandart.html Tolkien Elves and Art, in J.R.R. Tolkien's Aesthetics]. 2003/2004 (commentary on Mythopoeia the poem).Schram, Peninnah. Review: Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism. University of Missouri – St. Louis. 30 December 2007.Schwartz, p. lxxv, and p. lxxviii In terms of , the word "tradition" is often used in place of "mythology" when referencing belief systems of other religions, such as "Christian tradition", or "Islamic tradition". Christian use Early Christians contrasted their sacred stories with "myths", by which they meant false and pagan stories.Eliade, Myth and Reality, 162Oleyar 5Barrett 69 Christians predominantly object to associating Christian stories with "myth" due to several reasons: (1) ancient mythologies are often associated with polytheism and paganism,Henry, Carl F. H. God Who Speaks, chapter 3Tyndale House Publishers 9 (2) the term "myth" is often used to indicate falsehood or non-historicity–especially by critics,Nwachukwu 47Holman Bible Publishers 896Hamilton 56-57 and (3) the lack of an agreed-upon definition of "myth".Greidanus 23 However, some modern Christian writers such as C.S. Lewis have described elements of Christianity, particularly the story of Christ, as "myth" and also as being "true"–thus being "true myth".Sammons 231Dorrien 236 and throughoutLazo 210 Neopagan use Neopagans frequently refer to their sacred stories as "myths". Asatru, a modern-day revival of Germanic Paganism, holds "that the Eddas, Myths and Norse Sagas are the divinely inspired wisdom of its religion"."About Us" Wicca, a , also applies the term "mythology" to its stories."The Wheel of the Year / the Sabbats"; "What is Wicca?"; "Workshops and Talks" References ;Bibliography * Barrett, C.K. "Myth and the New Testament: the Greek word μύθος". Myth: Critical Concepts in Literary and Cultural Studies. Vol. 4. Ed. Robert A. Segal. London: Routledge, 2007. 65-71. * Dorrien, Gary J. The Word as True Myth: Interpreting Modern Theology. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1997. * Eliade, Mircea. Myth and Reality. New York: Harper & Row, 1963 and 1968 printings (See esp. Section IX "Survivals and Camouflages of Myths - Christianity and Mythology" through "Myths and Mass Media" * Greidanus, Sidney. Preaching Christ From Genesis: Foundations for Expository Sermons. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007. * Hamilton, Victor P. The Book of Genesis: Chapters 1-17. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990. * Holman Bible Publishers. Super Giant Print Dictionary and Concordance: Holman Christian Standard Bible. Nashville, 2006.Crossway: Wheaton, 1999. * Lazo, Andrew. "Gathered Round Northern Fires: The Imaginative Impact of the Kolbítar". Tolkien and the Invention of Myth: A Reader. Ed. Jane Chance. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2004. 191-227. * Nwachukwu, Mary Sylvia Chinyere. Creation-Covenant Scheme and Justification by Faith. Rome: Gregorian University Press, 2002. * Oleyar, Rita. Myths of Creation and Fall. NY: Harper & Row, 1975. * Sammons, Martha C. A Far-off Country: A Guide to C.S. Lewis's Fantasy Fiction. Lanham: University Press of America, 2000. * Schwartz, Howard. Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2004. * Tyndale House Publishers. NLT Study Bible: Genesis 1-12 Sampler. Carol Stream: Tyndale, 2008. Category:Mythology Category:Philosophy & Religion